Here, There, and Everywhere In-Between
by FranticNonsense
Summary: 100 Words, 100 different drabbles dedicated to Carol and Daryl. How is it possible that she's had walker teeth inches from her face, blown up Terminus in a fiery hell storm, and gotten ran over by a car after falling off a bridge in a different car… …But his calloused hand grazing hers sent shivers up her spine?
1. The Preview

**Judging**

"Come on Daryl, you know mine are better." Eric prompted with wide eyes and hands folded in prayer.

"No way, I used a caramel drizzle and chocolate chips. Nobody even likes oatmeal raisin." Olivia pointed to Eric while giving her argument. Eric huffed and both turned to Daryl who wiped the crumbs from his mouth. Their heated gazes left him shifting uncomfortably.

"Well? Whose cookies are better, Daryl?" Olivia put her hands on her hips and Eric crossed his arms over his chest.

"…Carol's."


	2. 10

**Pale**

"Whatchu lookin' at?"

"Your tan lines…Daryl, you really need to start going on these runs in the nude."

"Wha- Jesus Carol, the hell's wrong with you?"

"My eye sight! Daryl, I love every inch of you, but if I squinted, I'd think you had a white tank top on right now."

"…Shut up."

 **Obligation**

He _had_ to get through. There were dozens of walkers gathered outside the warehouse window and even more crowding around behind him. Their decaying hands were grazing the sole of his boot while he stood on the window ledge. The moans grew in volume as their hunger surged with a meal looming above them. He had a hunting knife and only three bullets left in his revolver, but he _knew_ without a doubt that he was finding a way out of there.

Their baby was due today.

 **Tongue**

Judith had just discovered the endless joy and immense humor of blowing raspberries. Daryl enjoyed every milestone of hers and (not so) secretly hated when she grew out of her silly, two year old phases.

Except when Carol had taught the toddler to blow raspberries every time Daryl sat down, leaving everyone around him in mass hysterics. That phase, he wouldn't mind passing.

 **Fantasy**

"Come on, there's gotta be something." She prompted, running her fingers through his messy hair.

"Mm, nothin'." Daryl closed his eyes as she massaged his scalp.

"Even I have a turn on when you use that accent of yours to act like an Old West cowboy." She smirked. "What can I do to make it better for you?"

Before he answered, Carol cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Remember, the happier you are while we make love, the happier _I'll be_."

She removed her finger and he licked his lips before he met her gaze and gave a small smile.

"Been cravin' some peaches for a while…"

 **Market**

If it wasn't black and white to everyone before, it was definitely clear to them now by the way the Jasper stone necklace hung around Carol's neck.

She was officially off the market.

 **Forecasting**

"…It's gonna rain."

"How can you tell?" Carol glanced up at the sky as her head sat on his shoulder.

He smirked. "Can feel you shiver when the air gets chilly."

 **Needle**

"It ain't funny."

"N-no, of course not!" Carol snorted behind the hand covering her mouth. "Who hasn't sat on a porcupine before?"

"Didn't sit on it! I had to hide from a walker and…"

"And your bum found lil spikey?"

Daryl's eye twitched as he looked away from the giggling woman. "Will you help me or what?"

Carol's laughing subdued and she gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry Pookie. I'll help. Just lose your pants and lay down on the bed. Not that this is the first time I've told you to do that…"

 **Air**

"Dawyl! Dawyl!" Judith's eyes were wide as she pointed at the rainbow kite floating above. "Flying!"

Daryl put down his traveling pack and squatted so he was level with the youngest Grimes. "I see it, sweetheart." He turned to the woman tugging on the kite string to keep it level. Carol's smile reached her eyes and Daryl felt his own grin matching hers as he stood up with a giggling Judith in his arms.

It was never hard to forget. This right here was why he'd always find his way home.

 **Sore**

"Daryl, can you rub my shoulders?"

"I don't do real good massages."

"Yes you do. You knew exactly how to help me out back at the prison. That night on the bus?"

"You remembered that, huh?"

"Right down to you licking your fingers."

"…"

"What is it?"

"Just wonderin' if that offer you gave me afterwards is still available."

 **Judging**

"Come on Daryl, you know mine are better." Eric prompted with wide eyes and hands folded in prayer.

"No way, I used a caramel drizzle and chocolate chips. Nobody even likes oatmeal raisin." Olivia pointed to Eric while giving her argument. Eric huffed and both turned to Daryl who wiped the crumbs from his mouth. Their heated gazes left him shifting uncomfortably.

"Well? Whose cookies are better, Daryl?" Olivia put her hands on her hips and Eric crossed his arms over his chest.

"…Carol's."


	3. 20

**Wheel**

"What's been up Daryl's butt today?" Glenn whispered to Carol. She looked out the window to see said Dixon across the yard, pacing up and down the walls of Alexandria. Much like Rick did during their first night in the prison yard.

"He doesn't want to go to the dinner party later tonight." Carol pouted. "I don't want to either, but we have to keep up appearances. I had to threaten to hose him down just to get him to take a shower."

Glenn chuckled. "Daryl Dixon going to a semi-formal event? I don't know if anything's worth making him do small talk with these people. He'd rather be with the walkers."

Carol shook her head. He was beyond right. "Maybe there's something that'll make it worth his while…"

She needed to have a talk with Aaron later. He had said something about an in-progress motorcycle in his garage…

 **Reclaim**

Carol was known for her silent observations.

She had noticed when Glenn started to use a bat as his weapon of choice in the field.

She had noticed when Carl stood on Enid's right side at most social gatherings.

She had noticed when Sam had bigger smiles after his father's brutal passing.

She had noticed Rosita wearing the earrings Abraham had gotten for her on a recent run.

She had noticed the bags under Rick's eyes starting to vanish after he became in charge of Alexandria.

She had noticed Tobin approaching her more and more each week, asking her when she was ready to start gun training.

She had noticed Daryl started placing his arm on her shoulders when Tobin's questioning had become daily.

She had noticed the defeated look in Tobin's eyes as Daryl's arm had become more comfortable and natural around Carol's frame.

She had noticed when Daryl put his arm around her, when no one was watching.

 **Grind**

It was the one year anniversary of Rick's group joining Alexandria. There was more than enough reason to celebrate.

Tara had brought the beer and wine. Glenn had collected a large number of CDs from past runs and Aaron offered his boom box that ran on batteries for the occasion. Carol and Olivia had made dish after dish of homemade foods. Even the brownie mix they had been saving was used for tonight.

It was around 1 AM and most of them were sufficiently hammered. Eugene was passed out on the ping pong table. Rosita was singing along to Rihanna's "Pon De Peplay" playing on the speakers. Abraham and Eric were playing a drinking game, and by the looks of Eric's flushed face, he was losing fast.

Carol and Daryl watched from the sidelines as Glenn and Maggie were dancing in the middle of it all, with Maggie leaning forward and Glenn grinding from behind. It was sloppy, but they were dancing their hearts out.

"Isn't that how you wanted to dance that night at the CDC? When you got plastered?" Carol laughed. Her cheeks had turned bright pink after her third cup of wine.

Daryl snorted. "Yeah right. Wouldn't be caught dead dancin' like that."

"So Daryl Dixon _does_ dance?" Carol countered with a raised eyebrow. "What's your style? Waltz? Linedance? Oh, I know, twerking!"

He rolled his eyes. "In your damn dreams, woman."

"I'm counting on it."

 **Progress**

It came slowly, but it was something.

When he could feel the anger bubbling in his stomach and resist the urge to smash, throw, _destroy._

When she could meet a child and not immediately think of barns, gunshots, or flowers.

It came slowly, but it was something.

 **Instant**

"We need another pair to go on the next run." Rick locked eyes with Daryl. "I was hoping you'd be willing to take a break from recruiting and go with Glenn and the others on this one."

"Got a good number of people with Aaron on the last run." Daryl nodded his head. "Who 'm I goin' with?"

"I was going to let you choose-"

"Carol."

 **Mate**

She couldn't explain it to anyone, especially herself.

She could sense him, even when he wasn't in eye sight.

He knew she was in pain, even when her smile fooled countless others.

They were constantly guarding each other's backs, whether the surroundings were a daytime block party or the aching woods in the middle of the night.

They were each other's person. Undoubtedly. For all time.

How do you explain that?

 **Interference**

"Daryl…I need to tell you something."

"Don't waste time announcin' it. Spit it out."

"Okay…I don't know how to say this, but…Daryl- SHHHSHHSHHHHSHHHS"

"Dammit, hold on a sec. Somethin's messin' with the walkie."

"Daryl?"

"Okay, 'm out of the woods. What'd ya say?"

"I said I- SHHHSHSHHSHHSH"

"Carol? Dammit. Okay, 'm at the top of the hill. Say it again."

"Daryl, I can't keep saying it. It makes me feel…vulnerable."

"Just say it!"

"Okay, okay! Daryl Dixon… You- SHHHHSHSHSHS"

"Shit! This walkie's busted."

"Is it making a sound like this? SHHHSHHSHSHSHHS"

"…How'd you know that?"

"I had an urge to make a dramatic moment."

"Dammit, Carol."

 **Contact**

How is it possible that she's had walker teeth inches from her face, blown up Terminus in a fiery hell storm, and gotten ran over by a car _after_ falling off a bridge in a different car…

…But his calloused hand grazing hers sent shivers up her spine?

 **Tension**

"How much longer?"

"One minute."

He took a deep breath through his nose and brought his hand behind her neck. After pulling her forward and placing a kiss on her forehead, he gave her the choice. "We do whatever you wanna do. I'm there, whether you keep it or not."

She smiled as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Is there a third option?"

He smirked and rested his chin on top of her head and wrapped his arms around her. His scruff tickled her forehead. "If I find one, I'll tell ya."

 **Closure**

"…I had to. She couldn't be with us. With Judith."

Daryl waited for her to continue, but it seemed that's where her story ended. There were no tears as she finished off her explanation of what happened at The Grove.

She turned to him, but couldn't meet his eyes. "What kind of monster does that?" She whispered.

His fingers laced through hers and she turned away to glance at the fire in front of them.

"Ya did the best thing for her…And Judith. Even though it was the worst thing possible ya could do to yourself."

She tried to swallow the painful lump in her throat.

"That ain't selfish, or evil…" He was looking at her, but she couldn't meet his eyes. "Don't even think angels are strong as you."

She cried.


End file.
